World toilet day: Firm upgrades, refurbishes Delta community school

As part of activities to mark the 2017 United Nation World Toilet Day, an oil servicing company, Matrix Energy Limited, has upgraded and refurbished dilapidated toilet facilities at Ifiekporo Community Primary School in Warri, Delta State.

The state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, who took delivery of the projects on Friday, called on private and good-spirited individuals to support ongoing efforts by the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration to reinvigorate education.

Ebie said the present government would partner organisations who are ready to give education in the state a facelift.

The commissioner, who was represented by a principal officer in the ministry, Mr.Paul Okpala, disclosed that the Okowa government had designed a special programme, tagged the Support-A-School Programme to specifically open a window to organisations like Matrix Energy.

He said, “Delta State believes that partnership with the private sector has the potential of creating an efficient and effective platform for providing functional quantitative and qualitative education for school-aged children, especially at this crucial time in the existence of our state, hence the approval of the Delta State Support-A-School Programme.

“The programme is aimed at providing a platform for well-meaning Nigerians (particularly Deltans and friends of Delta State), corporate/community organisations and social groups to intervene and partner with the state government in the development of our schools.

“We hope this will galvanise the private sector to actively support schools in various areas of need, with the ultimate goal of helping to bridge the funding gap that currently exists in our educational sector.”

In his remark, the Chief Operating Officer of Matrix Energy, Mr. Loqman Salam-Alada, said the upgrade and refurbishment of the school’s facility was part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility to the host community.

Salam-Alada said the company used the opportunity to commemorate this year’s United Nations’ World Toilet Day to donate ten new toilets as there was none before.

“Matrix Energy today commissioned the painting of the entire classrooms in the school, erected new furniture for teachers and pupils, provided new chalkboards, doors, desks and tables, new ceiling boards, windows, as well as completed the perimeter fencing and gates of the school in order to create a secure and safe environment for learning”, he said.

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